John Ednie Brown (1848-1899) was a sylviculturist (forest expert) who was brought to Adelaide in 1880 to advise on management of the Park Lands. John E Brown literally wrote the book on trees in the Adelaide Park Lands and beyond. His 1880 book "A Practical Treatise on Tree Culture in South Australia" was used as a guide by City Council gardeners for decades afterwards.

It was only in September 2017 that the City Council decided to name this Park after him.